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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Raider women drop season opener

THIEF RIVER FALLS — Elizabeth Nelson scored 19 points and Nikki Pearson added another 18, but it wasn’t enough as the Central Lakes College Raiders lost their season opener 61-51 to the Northland Pioneers Tuesday night.

“We were up 12-2 in the first five minutes,” said Raider coach Dennis Eastman, “and then we let our guard down and let them back in the game.”

Pearson and Lena Montano each pulled down seven rebounds for the Raiders who shot only 36 percent (21-59) from the field and 50% from the line.

“Our biggest thing was turnovers” said Eastman. “We had 25 of them, 10 of them unforced.

“Our freshmen got a taste for the speed of a college game and we now know what we have to work on. It was a good learning experience for the first game.”